As I was interested in finding more information about my roots, I stumbled upon AncestryDNA, a company which offers DNA testing for $99. Before spending my money, I wanted to find out if this test is legitimate or a scam.
Is AncestryDNA testing a scam?
According to me, one of the best ways to find out if any DNA test is a scam is to conduct thorough research, so that you can get all the necessary details. After spending several hours going through different data points, I would like to state that AncestryDNA testing isn’t a scam.
One way I was able to prove this point was by taking DNA tests from various companies and comparing their results by uploading them on GEDmatch. According to this website, all the tests produce similar results, which go to show their authenticity.
To give you an idea of how this test works, you should know the company uses two techniques to follow your lineage. The first method is to track the Y chromosome, which comes from your paternal side. The second technique involves following the mitochondrial DNA, which gets passed along your maternal side. However, this technique isn’t perfect, as the tests can only follow your father and his father, but nothing about their grandmother, who can add a variation to your DNA.
Although there are several reasons why people believe AncestryDNA testing is a scam, I would like to poke holes in their theories. The most popular one is that their tests don’t have any analysis tools or segment data which customers can use. However, you can overcome this problem by downloading your data and uploading it on GEDmatch, a website where you can use different types of tools.
The second reason is that the company doesn’t provide any useful information unless you are willing to be a part of their annual subscription. Well, there are several online records and genealogy tools you can use if you are not happy with their services.
The third and final reason is the company’s bottom threshold for the matching of your results as quite speculative, due to which they may not be accurate. Again, if you take a look at their database, it is the largest in the industry, which is why you get a large number of results.
There are also numerous examples from the real world, which go to show that AncestryDNA testing is legitimate. For instance, one person was able to find his father with the help of DNA. Once he finished tracking down his father, he started to find things about their maternal side, so that he could complete his family tree. Although he faced several obstacles during his search, he was still able to follow his father’s maternal lineage through DNA.
Another candidate was able to discover several cousins, post the DNA test. Similarly, she was able to find her first cousin and other relatives through this technique.